1. Ancient Egypt & the Nile Valley
Chapter 3 Notes

2. A River Valley & Its People
One of the world’s first civilizations developed along the banks of the Nile
In northeastern Africa
Nile = world’s longest river
People of the Nile relied on the river’s yearly floods to bring them water
Green Nile Valley = stark contrast to deserts surrounding it on either side

3. A River Valley & Its People
Rich black soil in Valley = good for farming
5000 BCE = farmers began to settle down in the Valley
Grew cereal crops (wheat, barley)
Hunted ducks & geese; fished
Early Egyptians harvested papyrus
Used for rope, sandals, baskets, and paper

4. A River Valley & Its People
Early farming villages prospered --> WHY?? Because they were protected from foreign invasions by deserts and cataracts (waterfalls) in the Nile
Strong leaders united the farming villages into kingdoms or monarchies ruled by a king

5. A River Valley & Its People
By 4000 BCE, Egypt had 2 large kingdoms
Lower Egypt (in the north)
Upper Egypt (in the south)
3000 BCE = Narmer (king of Upper Egypt) attacked Lower Egypt and united the 2
Capital = Memphis
1st of the Egyptian dynasties
Egyptian dynasties divided into 3 periods: Old, Middle, New

6. The Old Kingdom (2700 BCE to 2200 BCE)
People saw their kings as gods
Called a theocracy = same person is the political AND religious leader
King gave many responsibilities to a bureaucracy = groups of government officials
King controlled trade & taxes
King supervised building of canals, dams, grain storehouses

7. The Old Kingdom (2700 BCE to 2200 BCE)
Egyptians built pyramids as burial places for their kings
Great Pyramids in Giza
King’s bodies were mummified for preservation

8. Pyramids as Tombs

9. Mummification

10. The Middle Kingdom (2050 BCE to 1800 BCE)
Old Kingdom ended with violence & a new dynasty reunited Egypt
Capital moved to Thebes
Theben kings = seized new territory & added thousands of acres to their civilization
Built canals and irrigation systems

11. The Middle Kingdom (2050 BCE to 1800 BCE)
Local leaders began to challenge the kings’ power, which threatened peace
At same time = 1st real threat to Egypt = invasion by Hyksos (people from western Asia)
Hyksos swept through with new tools for war --> bronze weapons & horse-drawn chariots
Easily conquered the Egyptians & set up a new dynasty (for about 110 years)

12. The New Kingdom
Egyptian prince named Ahmose raised an army & drove the Hyksos out
Ahmose & those that came after him used the title pharaoh
Rebuilt Egypt & conquered more land

13. The New Kingdom
1480 BCE = Queen Hatshepsut came to power in Egypt = 1st female pharaoh
After her death, her stepson Thutmose III took over
Thutmose III created an army, conquered neighboring Syria, and expanded the Egyptian empire
Empire = many territories under one ruler
Egyptian empire grew rich & benefited from cultural diffusion

14. The New Kingdom
1370 BCE = ruler named Amenhotep = created new religion with just 1 god
Changed his named to Akhenaton = “spirit of Aton”
Aton = sun-disk god = only 1 to be worshipped
Controversial, so after his death the priests went back to old religion
King Tut took over for him

15. King Tut’s Tomb

16. The New Kingdom 1200s BCE = Ramses II (Ramses the Great)
Built large statues of himself, temples, and tombs
After his death, Egypt weakened under attacks from invaders & was taken over by foreigners

17. Life in Ancient Egypt Social Order
Upper class = kings, nobles, priests
Middle class = artisans, scribes, merchants
Lower class (majority of Egyptians) = farmers, poor
Lowest of the low = slaves

18. Life in Ancient Egypt Families
In cities & upper class = husband, wife, children
Outside the city & poor families = also included grandparents & other relatives

19. Life in Ancient Egypt Women
In the beginning = property of their husbands
By the time of the Egyptian Empire = they could own property and divorce their husbands; had more rights

20. Life in Ancient Egypt Religion
Very important to early Egyptians
Polytheistic = believed in more than one god
Gods were often half human, half animal
Believed in an afterlife – burial rituals reflect this
The ankh = symbol of life

21. Some Egyptian Gods Ra = Sun God King of the Gods
Osiris = God of the Dead
Horus = Son of Iris & Osiris
Anubis = God of Embalming
Iris = Queen of the Goddesses

22. Life in Ancient Egypt Writing
Used hieroglyphics (picture symbols) for writing
Few people could read or write
Language remained a mystery until discovery of the Rosetta Stone in 1799
(Greek writing matched the hieroglyphs on the Stone)

23. Life in Ancient Egypt Science
Developed a number system
Used geometry to calculate volume and area
Created a 365-day calendar
Developed medical expertise  used splints, bandages, etc.